The environment in which we live may vary just as much as our conditions, habits, and even how we live. Interior design is a never-ending process that involves adapting the immediate environment to new needs. And while we like to put off thinking about aging, we encourage you to think ahead about your space and your loved ones.
With increasing age, the need for more comfortable indoor living conditions is a natural course of things. We take care of elderly parents, so even though this does not apply to us today, it is worth learning interior design solutions that will make it easier for us to function tomorrow. In the rest of the text, find out the smart decoration tips for seniors on upgrading home interiors.
Furniture Distance
The first-class thing in an apartment for the elderly is the large distance between the furniture. Low, round tables are more comfortable for the elderly than those with edges, reducing the risk of injury. Chests and shelves are good to attach to the wall as leaning on them will be safe. When decorating an apartment for the elderly, it is worth looking at the floor throughout the house and eliminating even small differences in levels, removing thresholds. Now is the time to look carefully at every room in the apartment.
Living Room
When decorating the interior of the living room for the elderly, special attention should be paid to armchairs and sofas. Remove the soft, low, and deep seats, and replace them with a hard seat that does not collapse and allows easy standing up. Armchairs or sofas with adjustable headrests and armrests are the ideal solutions for the elderly. When buying furniture for the elderly, pay attention to the height of the seat. It cannot be too low, as it will make it difficult to get up. A suitable solution for the elderly is furniture that has armrests for easy standing up. Studies show that most elderly people have furniture that is not adapted to their needs. It is important to have comfortable, soft floor rugs that are suitable for easy cleaning. It is also very important that there are as few decorative elements in the house as possible, as the elderly do not like to bother with cleaning.Â
Bathroom Decoration
When decorating or renovating a bathroom for the elderly, you should first of all pay attention to the problem of movement. The floor in the bathroom cannot be slippery, and all devices should be placed at a height suitable for the user. According to European standards, the toilet bowl for people with disabilities and the elderly should be at a height of 45-50 cm. The key issue in arranging a comfortable bathroom for the elderly is to create a larger area and keep the distance between the devices.
Bedroom Upgrade
When decorating an apartment for the elderly in the bedroom, the height of the bed is important – preferably at knee level—as well as the hardness of the mattress and handrails. The practical frame for the elderly is an adjustable frame that allows you to raise your head or legs. Caution! Avoid using rugs around the bed that are not attached to the floor. The best solution is to have a carpet laid throughout the room. For older people who use a walker or wheelchair, it’s just difficult with a short pile.
Kitchen Decoration
When arranging a comfortable kitchen for the elderly, the height of the worktops is important. All worktops should allow sitting on them. Make sure their edges are rounded. There must be free space under the worktops so that a chair can be easily placed there. When decorating a kitchen for the elderly, let’s indulge in hard-to-reach cabinets. It’s better to invest in modern solutions for cargo, enabling the comfortable use of furniture for the elderly.
Amenities
When arranging an apartment for an elderly person, think about the amenities. They are needed in the interior; when memory and vision deteriorate nearby, the hands become less suitable, and they lose reflexes. Equipment with many functions is not suitable for the elderly because the most important thing is simple handling, i.e., a legible, friendly control panel, large letters, or message icons. When we buy devices for the elderly, we look for a compromise between innovation and common sense. Timers that turn off the equipment promptly are extremely useful. Such conveniences can be found in plates, refrigerators, and ovens. It is also worth thinking about equipment that will protect against burns – an oven with cold glass or a stove “without fire”.
We hope that our tips for arranging a house for seniors have helped you and that, with their help, you will easily rearrange your home to make it more comfortable for you or your loved ones.
